Scrappy Dolphins fight way into playoffs

With a dramatic come from behind, 3-2, victory over Monomoy last Friday, the Dennis-Yarmouth High School baseball team improved to 8-9 and qualified for the MIAA Division 3 postseason tournament.

It was the Dolphins second tough win in a row, and set up more drama to come this week as they finish the season with games against Sandwich in the first round of the Cape Cod Showdown and then against either Nauset or Falmouth depending on who wins and losses in the first round.

D-Y has split its two games with Sandwich this year and has also split with Nauset while losing two tough ones to Falmouth.

"We need to win two to make the tournament," said D-Y coach J.D. Stone.

Actually, even if D-Y comes away with no wins this week it will qualify for the postseason under the Sullivan Rule.

Because the Dolphins play a schedule of mostly teams in higher divisions, such as Atlantic Coast League opponents Falmouth, Marshfield, Nauset and Sandwich, and non-league Division 1 teams such as Barnstable, their record against teams in their own division will count to qualify.

And D-Y is 3-1 in those games with a win and a loss against Martha’s Vineyard and two wins against Monomoy.

But Stone wants to qualify outright on overall record and is taking this week’s games very seriously.

"We’re going for the wins," said Stone.

Last year D-Y had a rather disappointing season, finishing 3-17 despite playing competitively against most teams.

But this year with a younger less experienced team, the Dolphins are hanging in there right to the end.

It is a team that has overcompensated for its inexperience with hard work and determination.

"The younger guys bring more vitality to it. Everybody is ready to play and looking to improve every single day. They’re looking to help the team the best way they can," said Stone. "The mental toughness is there. We’ve worked on doing what we can control and that’s hitting the ball and throwing strikes."

D-Y has been pretty consistent in the throwing strikes department, getting good pitching from its three sophomore right-handers, Charlie McCaffrey, Cam Taubert and Magnus Orava.

"The pitching this year has been a surprise. All three starters want to compete. You can see the drive and fire in their eyes. But they are only sophomores and they are still learning how to pitch at the varsity level," said Stone.

McCaffrey is the ace of the staff with a 4-3 record and a 1.96 earned run average; in 46 innings he has 54 strikeouts and only 16 walks. Taubert is 3-2 with an ERA of 2.50.

Orava has been good but was the hard luck pitcher in the two games in which D-Y got blown out this year, which accounts for his 1-3 record and a 6.13 ERA. But he throws strikes and gives his defense a chance to make plays, which they have also done pretty well this year.

The outfield is solid with Peyton Doyle in leftfield, Brandon Dunn in center and Orava, when not pitching, in right. Dylan Loring has also played right field when Orava pitches.

Catcher Sam Capobianco has been outstanding with only two passed balls all season and he has a great arm and has thrown out a number of runners trying to steal.

Taubert, when he's not pitching, Donald Hand and Andrew Campbell hold down first base while raedy Leidner, the only senior on the team, who can hit with power is at second base.

McCaffrey is the starting shortstop when not pitching with Cam Duffy backing him up on days when he is on the mound and Jonah Arsenault is the third baseman.

Drew Weinert has filled in at times at second base and Billy Egan is the backup catcher.

The Dolphins have been inconsistent at the plate however. "It is the one area we need to improve on all around," said Stone.

Ryan Downs, who injured his throwing arm, has filled in well as the designated hitter.

Orava leads the team in hitting with a .366 average on 15 hits. Arsenault has 13 hits and a .271 average, while Duffy is batting .260 with 13 hits.